Enjoying older wines is definitely an acquired taste . . .
August 25 2001, 12:26 PM
Not everyone will prefer the subdued flavors of an older wine. Many wine drinkers prefer the vibrancy of a younger wine. It is rare that a wine of twenty years or more will still have the pronounced characteristics we enjoy. It is like beef stew, the 2nd day is great . . . but as time marches on, the flavors die and is no longer enjoyable. The one thing about older wines . . . if they weren't balanced to begin with, they won't be balanced in twenty years either. A young tannic monster (tannis allow wine to age) will soften as it ages, but the imbalance and lack of harmony in it's components will still be apparent.